The best color for a diamond is no color. Because it is the totally colorless diamond
that acts as a prism, allowing light to pass effortlessly through the diamond and
be transformed into rainbows of color. To give a woman the purest white diamond
is to show your true colors as well.
The color grading scale goes from totally colorless to light yellow. The differences
between one grade and another are very subtle, as can be seen by the number of grades
within any one category.
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GIA Grades
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Traditional Terms
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Descriptive Terms
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D / E
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River
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Rarest White
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F / G
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Top Wesselton
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Rare White
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H
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Wesselton
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White
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H
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Wesselton
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White
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I / J
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Top Crystal / Crystal
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Slightly Tinted White
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K / L
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Top Cape
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Tinted White
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M / N
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Cape
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Slightly Yellowish
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O / P / Q / R
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Light Yellow
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Yellowish
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S - Z
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Yellow
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Yellow
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Diamonds are graded on a color scale established by the Gemological Institute of
America (GIA) which ranges from D (colorless) to Z.
Color difference are very subtle and it is very difficulty to see the difference
between,say, an E and an F. Therefore, colors are graded under controlled lighting
conditions and are compared to a master set for accuracy.
Truly colorless stones (d) are extremely rare and consequently extremely valuable
,yet color ultimately comes down to personal taste. Ask a jeweler to show you a
verity of color preference.
Nature has also created diamonds in intense shades of blue, green, yellow orange,
pink or the rarest of them all red. These diamonds are called ‘colored Fancies’
and are extremely rare and highly treasured.
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